The English opening batter Crawley suggested he was not familiar with comments from skipper Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made those words in multiple conversations in the wake of his team's defeat in the second Ashes series against Australia earlier this month.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where England now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his sentiment to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done all the talking in recent days that I needed to have done," said the England leader.
But, following the opener made a knock of 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he stated: "I missed those remarks."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take everything that is said in the press with some skepticism," he added.
Raw Conversations and Steady Philosophy
Stokes made the "weak men" observation after his side suffered a loss in the second Test to fall 2-0 down.
The England squad afterwards took a break to a Queensland resort between the second and third Tests.
Prior to this match, Stokes revealed his team had held "honest" talks and he had asked them to "show a bit of dog" in their effort to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, the Kent batsman stated the guidance from Stokes and head coach McCullum had stayed consistent with their prior three years in charge.
"The atmosphere has been very positive, the same as always," said the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. We believed we could do something special going into this game."
Australia On the Verge of Rapid Series Victory
Crawley's dismissal on day four was part of a decisive three-wicket burst by Australian spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in a short spell – including the wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Stokes – left the chasing side 207-6 in pursuit of a notional target of 435.
This means, Australia need four wickets on the last day to move to an unassailable 3-0 lead with three Tests.
Defeat would prolong the English team's drought in Australia to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth straight away Ashes defeat.
The current battle is set to be decided in just 11 days of cricket – after England losing the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when the Australians completed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined more swiftly. Australia have also triumphed in eleven days on two other instances in the 21st century.
"This is disappointing," admitted Crawley. "Our goal was to regain the Ashes and now we are staring down the barrel now."
"There remains significant pride at stake and we'll definitely view it with that mindset," he continued.
"The challenge has been difficult. They're a formidable team. It was always going to be tough coming here against them. They entered as the favourites coming in to it they've proven why."
Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's innings in the third Test likely secures questions about his immediate future in the side, Pope looks under immense pressure for his position in the Melbourne Test starting December 26th.
The Surrey batsman was out for 17 runs in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus Australia.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman in over a century – Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top six in Ashes Tests and returned a poorer average.
But, the opener insisted any suggestion Pope is being scrutinised comes from "you guys" – meaning the press – "and not within the team."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is talk from the outside. There is no chat like that on Ollie in the camp," Crawley concluded.
