England opener Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements from captain Stokes about the team environment not being "weak men".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" among the squad.
"I've done all the talking over the past two days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, after Crawley scored 85 on the penultimate 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 everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had urged them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 chasing a daunting target of 435.
Consequently, Australia need four wickets on the last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead with three Tests.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in this country to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in just 11 days of play – after England losing the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard coming here against them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
While Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate place in the England team, Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 runs in England's second innings on day four, extending his poor record versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – meaning the press – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware 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 on Ollie in the camp," he finished.
