The English opening batter Zak Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "weak men".
Stokes made this message in several conversations following his team's loss in the second Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
But, following the opener made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and the upcoming matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his players had held "honest" talks and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their battle to remain in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their previous three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted Crawley. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon'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.
Consequently, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
A loss will extend England's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of play – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disappointing," said the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
Although the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term place in the England team, Ollie Pope looks under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 runs in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There's no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley concluded.
