The English opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.
But, following Crawley made 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a holiday to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, he revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special going into this game."
Australia Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of play – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be tough coming here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's performance in Adelaide probably answers doubts about his short-term place in the side, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any notion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There's no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," he concluded.
