England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered this message in multiple interviews in the wake of England's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had let his message to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, after the opener made 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "fragile individuals" comment after England were beaten in Brisbane to fall two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday came during a crucial triple-strike by Australian spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need four wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – with England fell the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here 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 with that mindset," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
However, Crawley said any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There's no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
