England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements made by skipper Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in several interviews following his team's defeat in the second Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," remarked the England leader.
However, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment after England suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special going into this game."
The Hosts Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a decisive triple-strike by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
A loss will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable team. It was always going to be tough touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Pope looks under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 runs in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and averages just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – 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 suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There's no discussion like that regarding Pope in the camp," he finished.
