England opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered this message in several conversations following England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, 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 media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation after his side were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat going into this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a crucial triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
A loss will extend England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was always going to be hard touring here against them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
However, the opener insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
