England opener Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from captain Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in several interviews following his team's loss in the second Ashes versus Australia previously.
In the lead-up to the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, following Crawley scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, 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 press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" comment after his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, he revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley stated the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"It's been very positive, unchanged," said the opener. "It's on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
Crawley's dismissal on day four came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435 runs.
Consequently, Australia need just four more wickets on the final day to secure an unassailable three-nil advantage with three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes series defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in only eleven days of cricket – with England losing the initial matches in two and four days respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," said Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was always going to be tough touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term future in the side, Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 in the team's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one 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.
But, the opener said any notion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "the media" – referring to the press – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added he. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is noise from the outside. There is no discussion like that regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.
