England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from captain Stokes about the dressing room not being "weak men".
The all-rounder made those words in several conversations following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, following the opener made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
Stokes made the "weak men" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team subsequently took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to this match, he revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special going into this Test."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting total of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable three-nil lead after three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test probably answers questions about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in England's second knock on day four, adding to his modest returns against the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made 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 his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – 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 played several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There is no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
