The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from captain Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered this message in several interviews following England's defeat in the second Ashes series against Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
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. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to his side were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently took a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before this match, Stokes said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an insurmountable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
A loss will extend England's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
This series is set to be decided in just 11 days of play – with England fell 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 urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was always going to be tough coming here to face them. They were the front-runners coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his immediate place in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 runs in the team's second knock on day four, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62.
Only one other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
But, Crawley said any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There is no chat like that on Ollie amongst the players," he finished.
