The English opener Crawley suggested he had no knowledge of comments made by skipper Ben Stokes about the team environment as no place for "those lacking fortitude".
Stokes made this message 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 now face defeat with a match to spare, the captain noted he had let his message to "drift around" among the playing group.
"I've done the necessary discussions in recent days that I needed to have done," said Stokes.
But, after the opener scored 85 on the fourth day in Adelaide, he commented: "I didn't see that."
"I wasn't actively searching for it. We take anything stated in the media with a pinch of salt," Crawley continued.
Raw Conversations and Consistent Messaging
The captain issued his "fragile individuals" observation after England were beaten in the second Test to fall two matches behind.
The team afterwards took a holiday to a Queensland resort between the second and third 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 alive in the Ashes battle.
Yet, Crawley asserted the guidance from the captain and head coach Brendon McCullum had stayed in line with their previous three years in charge.
"It's been extremely upbeat, unchanged," noted the opener. "The focus is on maintaining positivity, playing our brand, with lots of freedom. It felt like we were capable of something special entering this game."
The Hosts On the Verge of Rapid Ashes Triumph
The opener's dismissal late on Saturday came during a decisive triple-strike by Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon.
Lyon's three wickets in a short spell – he also bowled Brook and Stokes himself – meant the chasing side six down for 207 in pursuit of a notional total of 435.
This means, the home team need just four more wickets on Sunday's final day to secure an unassailable 3-0 advantage after three Tests.
Defeat will extend the English team's drought in this country to 18 Tests and condemn them to a fourth successive overseas Ashes series defeat.
This series will be completed in just eleven days of play – after England fell the initial matches in two and four days each.
The last time 1921, when Australia completed victory in England in eight days, has the outcome of the Ashes urn been determined so quickly. Australia have also won in 11 days on two other occasions in the modern era.
"It's disappointing," said Crawley. "We came here to win the Ashes and now we are facing elimination now."
"There remains plenty to play for and we will certainly approach it with that mindset," Crawley added.
"It's been difficult. Australia is a very, very good team. It was always going to be tough coming here to face them. They were the favourites coming in to it have demonstrated their quality."
Pope's Place In Question
While the opener's innings in the third Test probably answers doubts about his short-term place in the England team, Pope looks under immense pressure for his spot in the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day.
Pope was out for 17 in the team's second innings on Saturday, extending his modest returns versus the old enemy.
Across sixteen Ashes knocks, the Surrey man has failed to score a half-century and averages 17.62.
A solitary other English batsman since 1900 – Dennis Amiss – has played an equal number of innings in the top order in Ashes Tests and recorded a poorer average.
However, the opener said any notion his teammate is being scrutinised originates with "you guys" – referring to the journalists – "and not within the team."
"The squad is fully aware how good of a player he is," said Crawley. "He has had a productive year if I'm honest."
"He has produced some really good knocks. This is noise from the outside. There's no chat of that nature on Ollie amongst the players," Crawley finished.
