The English opener Zak Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments made by skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made this message in several conversations in the wake of England's defeat in the second Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, after the opener scored 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "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 media with a pinch of salt," he added.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "weak men" comment after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The team afterwards went on a break to Noosa between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their prior three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this game."
The Hosts Close of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435 runs.
Consequently, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead after three matches played.
A loss will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle will be completed in only eleven days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided so quickly. The hosts have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good side. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They entered as 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 likely secures questions about his short-term place in the side, Pope looks under threat for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a fifty and averages 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware 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. It is talk externally. There is no discussion of that nature on Ollie in the camp," he concluded.
