The English opening batter Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments from skipper Ben Stokes about the dressing room as no place for "weak men".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple interviews in the wake of his team's loss in the second match of the Ashes series versus the Australians earlier this month.
Ahead of the third Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" among the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I required," said Stokes.
But, after Crawley made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in the third Test, he stated: "I didn't see that."
"I didn't see and wasn't really looking out for it. We take anything stated in the media with some skepticism," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation after his side were beaten in Brisbane to go two matches behind.
The England squad subsequently went on a break to Noosa between the second and third matches.
Prior to the Adelaide contest, he revealed his team had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the messaging from Stokes and coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in leadership.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," said Crawley. "It's just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with lots of freedom. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Historic Series Victory
The opener's wicket late on Saturday was part of a crucial three-wicket burst by Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Brook and Stokes himself – left England six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional target of 435 runs.
This means, the home team require just four more wickets on Sunday's last day to move to an insurmountable three-nil lead after three matches played.
A loss would prolong England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight overseas Ashes loss.
The current battle will be completed in just eleven days of play – after England losing the initial matches in rapid time each.
Not since 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in the UK in eight days, has the destination of the Ashes urn been decided so quickly. Australia have also won in eleven days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and we're staring down the barrel now."
"There will still be plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. They're a very, very good team. It was inevitably tough coming here to face them. They were the front-runners coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's innings in Adelaide likely secures doubts about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in the team's second knock on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener said any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope originates with "the media" – referring to the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"The squad is fully aware of his considerable talent," added Crawley. "He has had a good year if I'm honest."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There is no chat of that nature regarding Pope amongst the players," Crawley finished.
