England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from skipper Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in multiple interviews following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I required," said the England leader.
But, following Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "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 some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "weak men" comment after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, he revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable three-nil lead with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes series defeat.
This series is set to be decided in just eleven days of play – after England fell the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his immediate place in the England team, Pope looks under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in England's second knock on day four, extending his poor record against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There is no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.
