England opener Zak Crawley has indicated he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where England now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, following Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained in line with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of something special entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Historic Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday came during a crucial triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an unassailable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive away Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in only eleven days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They were the favourites and they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's performance in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term place in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has never made a fifty and averages 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played as many times in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any notion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "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 some really good knocks. This is noise externally. There is no discussion of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," he finished.
