England opening batter Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements made by skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room not being "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in multiple interviews following his team's loss in the second Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, Stokes noted he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the squad.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," remarked the England leader.
However, after Crawley made 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 some skepticism," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "weak men" comment subsequent to his side suffered a loss in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to Noosa in the gap between the second and third matches.
Prior to this match, Stokes said his players had held "raw" talks and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been extremely upbeat, unchanged," said the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of something special entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday came during a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's triple strike in 20 deliveries – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England 207-6 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
Consequently, the home team need four wickets on Sunday's last day to secure an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three matches played.
A loss would prolong England's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and ensure a fourth straight overseas Ashes loss.
This series is set to be decided in only 11 days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed victory in the UK in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in eleven days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disheartening," admitted Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and we're facing elimination at this point."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we'll certainly approach it like that," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good team. It was always going to be hard touring here to face them. They were the favourites and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's performance in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term place in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second knock on Saturday, adding to his modest returns against Australia.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, Pope has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Dennis Amiss – has featured an equal number of innings in the top order in the Ashes and recorded a lower average.
However, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has produced several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There is no discussion of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley finished.
