The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements made by captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder delivered those words in several conversations following England's defeat in the second Ashes series against the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had allowed his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I required," remarked the England leader.
But, after the opener made 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "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," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation after his side were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the messaging from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of something special entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
This means, the home team need four wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
This series will be completed in just 11 days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. They're a formidable side. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They were the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers questions about his short-term place in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns against Australia.
In 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
However, Crawley said any suggestion his teammate is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," said he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There's no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
