England opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by captain Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
Stokes made those words in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes series against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
However, following the opener made 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" observation after his side were beaten in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The team afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, he 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.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes loss.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Position In Question
Although Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, the opener said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There is no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
