The English opener Crawley has indicated he had no knowledge of statements made by skipper Stokes about the team environment not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in several interviews following England's defeat in the second Ashes series versus the Australians previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat with a match to spare, the captain stated he had let his message to "drift around" within the squad.
"I have completed the necessary discussions in recent days that I required," remarked the England leader.
But, following the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he commented: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
The captain made the "weak men" comment after his side were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The team subsequently took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Before this match, Stokes said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from the captain and coach McCullum had remained consistent with their previous three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's on maintaining positivity, play our way, with lots of freedom. It felt like we could do something special entering this Test."
Australia Close of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – left the chasing side six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435.
Consequently, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an unassailable three-nil lead with three matches played.
A loss would prolong the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of play – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when Australia completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to win 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," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard coming here to face them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Position Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his immediate future in the side, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, extending his poor record versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages 17.62.
Only one other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, Crawley said any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is talk from the outside. There's no chat like that regarding Pope in the camp," Crawley finished.
