The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from captain Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "weak men".
The all-rounder made those words in several interviews following England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," said Stokes.
But, following the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to England suffered a loss in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before this match, he said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of something special going into this Test."
Australia Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
This means, the home team need four wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three matches played.
A loss will extend the English team's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a very, very good side. It was always going to be hard touring here to face them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
Although the opener's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate place in the side, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any notion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There's no discussion like that regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
