The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from captain Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
Stokes delivered those words in several interviews in the wake of England's defeat in the second Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
But, following Crawley made 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "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 some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "weak men" observation subsequent to England were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a holiday to Noosa between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, Stokes said his players had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special entering this Test."
The Hosts Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 advantage with three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only 11 days of play – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the side, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in England's second knock on day four, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.
