England opening batter Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with statements from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment not being "weak men".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple interviews following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes against the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
However, after the opener made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"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 some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a break to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before this match, he said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to remain alive in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their previous three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "The focus is 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."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal late on Saturday was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australia spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 advantage with three matches played.
A loss would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – with England fell the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," said the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a very, very good side. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
While the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term place in the side, Pope looks under threat for his position in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a fifty and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
However, the opener said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is talk externally. There's no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley finished.
