The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from captain Stokes about the dressing room not being "weak men".
Stokes made this message in several interviews in the wake of England's defeat in the second Ashes against Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" within the squad.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," remarked the England leader.
But, following Crawley scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "fragile individuals" comment after England were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of something special going into this Test."
The Hosts Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on the last day to secure an unassailable three-nil lead after three matches played.
Defeat would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a very, very good team. It was always going to be tough coming here to face them. They were the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term place in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is noise from the outside. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley finished.
