The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements made by captain Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple conversations in the wake of England's defeat in the second Ashes versus the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," remarked Stokes.
However, after the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation after his side were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The team afterwards took a holiday to Noosa in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, he said his team had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of something special entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket on day four came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time each.
The last time 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in Adelaide probably answers questions about his immediate future in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and averages just 17.62.
Only one other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"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 finished.
