The English opener Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment not being "weak men".
Stokes made those words in several conversations following England's loss in the second match of the Ashes series against the Australians earlier this month.
In the lead-up to the third Test, where the visitors are staring at defeat at the earliest opportunity, the captain stated he had allowed his sentiment to "circulate freely" within the playing group.
"I have completed the necessary discussions over the past two days that I needed to have done," remarked Stokes.
However, after the opener scored a knock of 85 on the penultimate day in the third Test, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. Our approach is to take everything that is said in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
The captain issued his "weak men" comment after England were beaten in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The team afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and the upcoming Tests.
Prior to this match, he revealed his players had held "raw" talks and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their effort to remain in contention in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had remained consistent with their previous tenure in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we were capable of an extraordinary feat going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left England six down for 207 chasing a daunting target of 435.
This means, Australia require just four more wickets on the final day to move to an insurmountable three-nil advantage after three Tests.
Defeat will extend England's winless run in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes defeat.
This series is set to be decided in only eleven days of play – after England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed a series win in England in eight days, has the outcome of the urn been decided more swiftly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the 21st century.
"It's disappointing," admitted Crawley. "We came here to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"The challenge has been tough. They're a very, very good team. It was always going to be tough touring here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Ollie Pope's Place Under Scrutiny
Although the opener's performance in the third Test likely secures questions about his short-term future in the side, Ollie Pope appears under immense pressure for his position in the fourth Test on Boxing Day.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 in England's second innings on day four, extending his modest returns against the old enemy.
In 16 Ashes innings, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages just 17.62.
A solitary other England player since 1900 – Amiss – has played as many times in the top order in the Ashes and returned a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion his teammate is under the microscope comes from "you guys" – meaning the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," added Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has produced some really good knocks. It is noise from the outside. There is no chat of that nature on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
