The English opener Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements from skipper Ben Stokes regarding the dressing room as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes delivered those words in several interviews in the wake of England's loss in the second Ashes versus the Australians previously.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors now face a series loss at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his message to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
But, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in Adelaide, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain made the "weak men" observation subsequent to his side were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he said his team had held "honest" conversations and he had urged them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the series.
Yet, the Kent batsman asserted the guidance from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed in line with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with great liberty. It felt like we were capable of something special entering this Test."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
Crawley's wicket late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australian spinner Nathan Lyon.
The spinner's three wickets in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 chasing a notional total of 435.
Consequently, Australia need four wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 lead after three Tests.
A loss would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series loss.
The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of cricket – after England fell the initial matches in rapid time respectively.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be significant pride at stake and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," he continued.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good side. It was inevitably hard touring here against them. They entered as the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although Crawley's performance in the third Test likely secures doubts about his short-term place in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
Pope was out for 17 in England's second innings on Saturday, adding to his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a lower average.
But, the opener insisted any notion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "the media" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a good year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk from the outside. There's no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley concluded.
