The English opener Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements from captain Stokes about the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in multiple conversations following his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes versus Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had let his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
However, following the opener made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"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," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" observation after England suffered a loss in the second Test to go 2-0 down.
The team subsequently went on a break to Noosa between the second and the upcoming matches.
Before this match, Stokes said his team had held "raw" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of something special entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – meant England 207-6 chasing a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, Australia need four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage with three matches played.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive away Ashes series loss.
This series is set to be decided in just 11 days of play – with England fell the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel at this point."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough touring here against them. They entered as the favourites and they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
While Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record versus Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a lower average.
However, the opener said any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There's no discussion of that nature regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.
