England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by captain Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in several interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his message to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" observation after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 chasing a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, Australia need four wickets on the final day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's winless run in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of play – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
But, Crawley insisted any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There is no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
