The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered those words in multiple conversations following his team's defeat in the second Ashes series versus Australia earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where England are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said the England leader.
However, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "weak men" comment after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to Noosa between the second and third matches.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain in contention in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. We believed we could do something special entering this game."
Australia Close of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – meant the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
This means, the home team require just four more wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 advantage with three matches played.
A loss will extend England's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in only 11 days of play – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians 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 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably tough touring here to face them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under threat for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record against Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
But, the opener said any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There is no chat like that regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley finished.
