England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Stokes about the dressing room not being "weak men".
The all-rounder made those words in several conversations following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I required," remarked the England leader.
However, after Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation after England were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, Stokes said his players had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous tenure in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special entering this Test."
Australia Close of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England six down for 207 chasing a notional target of 435.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three matches played.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of play – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a formidable side. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, Crawley insisted any notion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – referring to 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 several excellent innings. This is noise externally. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
