England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from captain Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in several conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes versus the Australians previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
However, after 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 everything that is said in the media with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation after England were beaten in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards went on a break to Noosa between the second and third Tests.
Prior to this match, he said his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special going into this game."
Australia Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435.
Consequently, Australia need four wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead after three Tests.
A loss will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably hard 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
While Crawley's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in England's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
