The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message in multiple conversations following his team's loss in the second Ashes versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, following Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, Australia need four wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead after three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
This series is set to be decided in only 11 days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard coming here to face them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the side, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There is no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," he finished.
