The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in several interviews following England's loss in the second Ashes series versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, after Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "weak men" observation after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to this match, he said his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the messaging from the captain and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435.
This means, the home team require four wickets on the final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three matches played.
A loss will extend England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
The current battle will be completed in only 11 days of play – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate future in the side, Pope looks under threat for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he finished.
