England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by captain Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in several interviews in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said the England leader.
But, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before this match, he revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this game."
Australia Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of play – with England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They were the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers questions about his short-term place in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record against Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley said any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There is no discussion like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
