England opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with statements from captain Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple conversations following his team's defeat in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians previously.
Ahead of the third Test, where England are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes stated he had let his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, following the opener made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" comment after England were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, Stokes revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes defeat.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of play – after England losing the first two Tests in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. They're a formidable team. It was inevitably hard coming here to face them. They were the front-runners and they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the England team, Pope looks under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
But, the opener said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
