The English opener Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments made by captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in several conversations following England's loss in the second Ashes series against the Australians previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had allowed his sentiment to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said the England leader.
However, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the press with some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Frank Discussions and Consistent Messaging
Stokes issued his "weak men" comment subsequent to England were beaten in Brisbane to go 2-0 down.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Prior to this match, Stokes said his players had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the series.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and head coach McCullum had remained in line with their prior tenure in charge.
"It's been very positive, the same as always," noted the opener. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday came during a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England six down for 207 in pursuit of a daunting target of 435 runs.
This means, Australia need just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil lead with three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 consecutive matches and ensure a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – with England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been decided more swiftly. The hosts have also won in eleven days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "We came here to regain the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will definitely view it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a formidable side. It was inevitably hard coming here against them. They entered as the front-runners and they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his short-term future in the England team, Pope appears under threat for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope fell for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, adding to his poor record versus Australia.
Across 16 Ashes innings, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, the opener said any notion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," said he. "He has had a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. It is talk from the outside. There's no discussion like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
