The English opener Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of statements from captain Stokes regarding the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
The all-rounder made those words in multiple interviews following England's loss in the second Ashes against Australia previously.
Ahead of the Adelaide Test, where the visitors now face a series loss with a match to spare, Stokes stated he had allowed his message to "drift around" within the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, following Crawley made 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 anything stated in the press with a pinch of salt," he added.
Frank Discussions and Steady Philosophy
Stokes issued his "weak men" observation after England were beaten in the second Test to go two matches behind.
The England squad afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort in the gap between the second and third Tests.
Before the Adelaide contest, Stokes said his players had held "honest" conversations and he had asked them to "display some fight" in their battle to stay alive in the Ashes battle.
Nevertheless, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous tenure in leadership.
"It's been extremely upbeat, the same as always," said the opener. "The focus is just trying to be optimistic, play our way, with great liberty. We believed we could do an extraordinary feat entering this Test."
Australia On the Verge of Historic Ashes Triumph
The opener's wicket on day four was part of a crucial triple-strike by Australian off-spinner Lyon.
Lyon's triple strike in 20 deliveries – he also bowled Harry Brook and Stokes himself – meant England 207-6 in pursuit of a daunting total of 435.
This means, Australia require four wickets on Sunday's final day to move to an insurmountable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.
A loss would prolong the English team's winless run in Australia to 18 consecutive matches and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes loss.
This series is set to be decided in just eleven days of cricket – with England fell the first two Tests in rapid time respectively.
The last time 1921, when Australia sealed a series win in England in eight days, has the destination of the urn been determined so quickly. The hosts have also triumphed in 11 days on two other instances in the modern era.
"This is disheartening," admitted the batsman. "Our goal was to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination at this point."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it like that," Crawley added.
"It's been tough. Australia is a formidable side. It was always going to be hard touring here to face them. They were the front-runners and have demonstrated their quality."
Ollie Pope's Position In Question
Although Crawley's innings in Adelaide likely secures questions about his immediate future in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope fell for 17 in the team's second knock on day four, extending his poor record against the old enemy.
In sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has never made a half-century and boasts an average of just 17.62.
A solitary other England player in over a century – Amiss – has featured as many times in the top six in the Ashes and recorded a poorer average.
But, the opener said any notion Pope is under the microscope originates with "the media" – meaning the journalists – "not inside the camp."
"We all know how good of a player he is," said he. "Ollie has enjoyed a productive year to be frank."
"He has played several excellent innings. This is talk externally. There is no discussion like that regarding Pope in the camp," he concluded.
